


Why Does It Have to Be Snakes?

by SifaShep



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Aquaphobia, Gen, Phobias, Snakes, Water, mass effect fanfiction drabble challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 09:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6324424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SifaShep/pseuds/SifaShep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Remy Shepard has an unpleasant encounter with a childhood phobia. Written for the ME Fanfiction Writers Biweekly Challenge on Facebook.</p><p>Remy has the Colonist background, but his parents are both from Louisiana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why Does It Have to Be Snakes?

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings: fear of snakes (Shepard) aquaphobia (Garrus). Swearing.

"This _isn't_ one of your better ideas, Shepard."

"Just keep going. We've got to find an exit to this tunnel soon."

"I've already told you that Turians do a lot of splashing and flailing and the occasional bout of drowning."

"Garrus, the water's only ankle-deep. Relax." Shepard hefted his sniper rifle and checked the firing mechanism. Steam rose in a white curtain all around them, and he felt beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck. He didn't blame Garrus for being uncomfortable; this place brought the Louisiana swamps to shame.

Javik's voice echoed in front of them. "The tunnel splits into two, Commander. Our exit is down the left branch."

Shepard nodded. There was an advantage when you had a Prothean with excellent eyesight in your ground team. "Acknowledged, Javik."

"The Turian has a point. The faster we are out of here, the better. The humidity is uncomfortable even for my kind."

"I hear you. Let's move forward."

They pushed on, with the only sounds of rushing water. Shepard gritted his teeth as he cast his flashlight all around. They reached the fork in the tunnel and turned into the left one. Minutes later, the water rose to knee-level, then crept slowly towards waist-level.

"Shepard--"

"You okay, Garrus?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. If the water rises any more, though, I think I might have a problem."

"Hang on. Javik?"

More splashing. "Here, Commander."

"Keep a close eye on Garrus. He might need assistance getting out of here."

"Of course."

Shepard didn't blame Garrus for being worried. The water rushed faster and it became harder for him to keep his balance. Tarith was a garden planet, but the wildlife reminded him of the bayou near his grandparents' home. And the wildlife all wanted you as a snack.

A loud scraping sound near the ceiling made him jump. He flashed his light in that direction, but saw nothing but shadows.

"Geth sapper?" Garrus asked hoarsely.

"No, sounded wrong for that," Shepard replied. "I don't like it. Let's get out of here."

He reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow with his gloved hand. The water vapor made it hard to breathe, and his heart thudded in his chest. With a supreme effort, he focused on the here and now. They were in trouble, and he needed to get Garrus and Javik to safety.

Then he felt something brush against his leg. _Oh, merde. There's something in the water._

"Shepard--" Garrus bumped into him and knocked him down. He managed to keep his face above the water; Garrus wrapped an arm around him and pulled him to his feet. "Sorry."

"I'm okay. C'mon, I can feel a breeze ahead--"

A loud hiss from overhead froze him in his tracks. He glanced up to see a long, sinuous body flying towards him. Reflexes took over and he fired a single shot from his sniper rifle. It ripped through the attacker, the bloody remains disappearing under the water.

The sound of the blast echoed down the tunnel, followed by a loud chorus of hissing. Shepard yelled as he felt a _definite_ touch slither around his leg and his ankle.

"Move, move, move!"

They scrambled ahead towards the tunnel exit. More snake-like creatures launched themselves at them, only to be blasted apart by sniper fire or crushed to death by Javik's biotics. Shepard managed to hold the panic at bay, channeling it into precise shots from his rifle. It was so tempting to simply keep firing, but he couldn't afford to waste heavy ammo. That was the only thing that stopped him.

"Commander, behind you!"

Something slammed into his back, a second one wrapped itself around his shoulders, and a third one around his left arm. He stumbled and lost his rifle in the chaos. Automatically, he lifted his hands to the tight coil around his neck and with a strength fueled by panic, he ripped it away. His foot struck an unyielding form under the water and he fell.

Water swirled over his head and he fought to hold his breath. A tentacle held fast to his ankle and dragged him down.

Cold, dark, struggling to breathe. He couldn't scream for help... _oh God, not again_ , he was going to drown, in water and not in space this time, he could still feel smooth skin sliding against his neck, fangs buried into his upper arm, a dull achy warmth sluggishly flowing through his veins. He was going to suffocate long before the poison killed him...

A burst of energy lifted him out of the water and into icy air. Shepard saw the flash of blue, Javiks's biotics, as it deposited him onto a muddy bank. He gasped and weakly pulled at the limpet still attached to his arm. It came free and he saw it clearly for the first time.

_Water snake, just like the ones in the bayou, that drop on you and scare the living shit out of you, usually harmless, but they always kept you on your guard, for you never knew when they'd land in your hoverboat and..._

Garrus coughed and sputtered next to him, then managed to crawl to his side. Taloned hands pulled shreds of burned flesh off Shepard's armor, slivers of green-gray scaly skin, roasted to a crisp...

_Grandpere shrugged as he twirled the stick over the fire, snake meat wrapped around it like bacon around sausage. "Tastes like chicken, but then again, **everythin'** does. You gotta do what you have to survive, Remy."_

Shepard wheezed as his lungs spasmed again. People still drowned on dry land, with water in their lungs, if they didn't get help quickly. Garrus pounded him on the back and he spit out water that tasted worse than Wrex's ryncol.

"Snakes," he finally gasped. "Why the hell does it have to be _snakes_?"

Garrus managed a weak laugh. "You hate snakes?"

Javik glanced up from his communicator, where he'd been talking with the Normandy. "Obviously." he muttered.

"M'parents are from Louisiana. M'grandfather had a power boat and we'd explore the swampland. You'd be surprised at what hangs out on the trees. If you're not careful, they'd drop on you."

"No wonder you're so good with a sniper rifle. That was one hell of a shot." Garrus frowned. "Wait, alligators lie in wait on the trees and drop on you?"

"Not gators. Snakes." Shepard shuddered. "Some of them can swim in the water."

"Poisonous?"

"Some of 'em."

"And you were out there with 'em?"

Shepard gave him a dirty look. "Not my idea at the time. Grandpere insisted." He coughed again and swore under his breath. "Survival skills in the swamp. Came in handy during N7 training."

"Your grandfather is a smart man. You need to introduce us someday, Shepard."

He managed a smile. "Yeah. You'd like him. Javik too."

"Your ancestor was wise," Javik commented. He shaded his eyes as the roar of a shuttle filled the sky. "That is Lieutenant Cortez. He is coming."

Shepard nodded and closed his eyes. "Uh, Garrus...just don't tell anyone 'bout the snakes, okay?"

Garrus put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "As long as you don't tell anyone about me and flailing in water, deal."


End file.
